Donald Trump’s formal arrest has been dubbed as a “fascist” move by the former Mayor of New York, Rudy Giuliani.
It comes as the ex-president and front-runner for the 2024 Republican nomination was formally charged as he entered a Manhattan courtroom on Tuesday.
Giuliani said the move is representative of a “fascist” state, in an exclusive interview with GB News.
Speaking to Nigel Farage, he said: “You can only describe this as a fascist prosecution.
GB News / Reuters
“Any politically inspired prosecution of the opposition that has no real basis is a hallmark of a fascist state.”
Questioned whether he realises “how bad” the move is for America, Giuliani responded: “I do.”
“It’s been this way for some time”, he said. “This is just the most dramatic indication of it.
“It all began some time ago when they decided to fix the Hilary Clinton case and they decided not to prosecute her despite committing obvious federal crimes.
Donald Trump appears in courtReuters“The strangeness of all this is, Hilary actually committed the crime they’re falsely accusing Trump of.”
The ex-President pleaded not guilty to 34 charges of felony in relation to an investigation over hush money payments made to porn star Stormy Daniels.
Trump sat with his hands folded as he entered his plea, flanked by his lawyers.
Trump pleaded “not guilty”, when asked.
The charges carry a maximum sentence of 136 years in prison under New York law but an actual prison sentence if he is convicted at a trial would most likely be far less than that.
Trump says the charges are politically motivated, and held his fist in the air towards reporters as he left Trump Tower.
The ex-president was indicted by a Manhattan grand jury last week in a case stemming from a 2016 hush money payment to Stormy Daniels, however, the specific charges are yet to be disclosed.
From his motorcade, Trump posted on social media: "Heading to Lower Manhattan, the Courthouse. Seems so SURREAL - WOW, they are going to ARREST ME. Can't believe this is happening in America."
Giuliani, speaking about the Democrats’ motives, said: “This indictment is a seven-year incident that has already been passed on by several anti-Trump prosecrturos who decided there was no case to bring.
“They decided to resurrect it. I believe it will be dismissed some time before it comes to trial because it has no legal basis.
“It’s just another indication of persecution, which is largely because he challenges the status quo.
“He challenges the notion of a communist government.”